Mini Mountain Moments

Stray beanies left on the steps of a shopfront. A sign that spring is on its way?

Smiles. Lots of smiles.

Standing quietly and feeling a tangle of languages and moments and experiences wrap around me. ‘When I was in Spain …’ ‘Have you seen …?’

The click-clack of luggage being hauled along by tourists across the paved footpaths.

Hissing buses taking tourists around the sites, their faces smudged against the glass.

Backpackers carrying what seems like their own body weight on their back, foreheads covered with bright scarves.

Phones and cameras wielded with enthusiasm at the many look outs and beauty spots, as well as along the main streets in the villages.

Long term locals identifiable by their easy walking gait up the steep stretches of Katoomba Street.

The elasticity of time. People completely relaxed, with all the available time in the foreseeable future, or in a rush, trying to jam as many experiences as possible into a tight timeframe as if on a manic kind of quest.

Changeable weather. The high clouds sometimes dart across the sun providing shade before moving on and a blinding light follows.

A feeling of acceptance that is difficult to define. An attitude that whoever you are, that’s okay.

Sighting a recorder (the musical woodwind instrument, that is) lying in a display of bright spring blooms. I thought later that I should have taken a photo for #MyISpy but when I went past the next day it was gone as someone else must have spotted the musical potential.

An assortment of tantalising aromas from the wide range of restaurants and cafes.

Murals tucked into the many alleyways, just waiting to be discovered.

What have you spotted, heard, smelt or felt in your neighbourhood lately?

It’s amazing what we notice when we are intentional about paying attention! Fall is on it’s way here, so I’m seeing the leaves beginning to look a bit faded, the summer flowers starting to look tired, and less insects than usual. Sounds sad, but it really isn’t.